


Endings bring New beginnings

by hainih



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Karatoga (IDOLiSH7), Ayakashi Mangekyo Karatogaokuri AU, Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, Eventual Fluff, Friendship/Love, Human Kyuubi, Karatoga AU, KyuubiMizu being friends for centuries and platonic for decades, M/M, Pining Kyuubi, Pre-Canon, Violence, unsure of summary lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29837619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hainih/pseuds/hainih
Summary: Ancient stories tell there was a time youkais freely lived side by side with humanity.But then back to the past-Who would say it eventually come the day Mizuchi and the others would be faced with the back of the ones they took care of and protected?
Relationships: Kujou Ten/Tsunashi Ryuunosuke, Kyuubi no Kitsune/Mizuchi
Kudos: 2





	Endings bring New beginnings

> _"...If I had stayed in the human realm any longer, I may have been called an evil spirit as well," the water youkai said._
> 
> _"There’s no way that’d happen to you!" Kamaitachi laughed at Mizuchi’s unlikely claim. "I mean, you granted those human’s wishes, right?"_
> 
> _"I, I did, but…" Mizuchi trailed off, straining a smile._
> 
> _Taking this as a cue, Kyuubi continued for him "...Granting someone’s wish doesn’t mean you’ll meet their expectations."_

* * *

**_« A few decades…_ **  
**_No. Centuries before… »_ **

It gave the feeling it was a night colder than usual, perhaps even eerie.

Mizuchi, at his night-shift watch of the surroundings of the village, couldn’t care more though, in all honesty.

Being himself what he is. A youkai, and an immortal one of all things. What he had to be afraid of? It’s been years walking and just existing in these lands. He couldn’t even reach the memory of when he got here.

Anyway. Again, _a youkai_.

Contrary to the ones living in this village; the humans, the ones vulnerable and exposed to danger when they're not peeking a look. Way more and particularly at this right moment, when in their sleep they were obliged to keep their guard down. That answered why Mizuchi tended to be here at nights.

He crossed his arms letting his train of thoughts continue, keeping up the walk.

Well yeah. He does this thing of protecting humans, kind of as a promise towards them. Though it seemed more likely as a kind of symbiosis.

He did favors to the humans, granting them wishes that weren't "out of this world" to be conceded. And in return, he could get stuff like food or unsubstantial gifts. It was his way to do things.

One day he was lost just prowling here and there. No goal. Then from one moment to another, he started interacting with them. Feeling a sparkle on his chest at helping them, being useful for someone of their kind. And then in a blink of an eye -though he's sure it was a long period for the humans-, he somehow started hearing them calling him a Water God or something close in between those lines.

He really couldn't care less about it. He just wanted to, somehow, feel part of them and to do something -different, out of the spirit yokai world.

Right, it was a peaceful life there, but somehow when your life is immortal you just want to find something exciting to spend the years. Aside from his present life with the current youkais that were like his kin, of course.

In part, he felt he also do this for them. He knew a few found a reason for being, exist, by also spending their lives interacting with humans. He was grateful for that with them, therefore he wanted to return them the favor.

 _‘You really are as the official chief -no, more like, the Youkai Papa of our area, aren't you?’_ It randomly came up to his mind the teasing of certain close fox-ish youkai, confidant of him.

And to the question. He can't even give it a proper answer.

He imagines he simply scratched the back of his neck chuckling sheepishly whenever he was asked that in the past. He can't really find the answer himself.

Now, back to his current wanderings-

Mizuchi sighed, tilting his head to his flank realizing he was side by side with the village river. He turned and stopped by to look at his reflection, then to his surroundings.

How weird, now that he noticed.

He swift into a movement to look behind him. Not because he felt anything or heard any unusual sounds. But, contrary, because he didn't feel any.

Aside from the river presence, there wasn't any other than him right there.

That's odd. For lively nocturnal youkais at least, he means.

It may just be a one-time thing for tonight only. He wanted to believe.

He hoped it wasn't any premonition or anything like that… He shook his head as if, by doing it and just wishing, the thoughts would be shoved away.

But they were already there.

A strong wind passing by him did the perfect metaphor of pushing him into reality once again.

At the reminder of how lately there had been a certain tension in the air between youkais and humans due to a certain mishap with a spirit, who was labeled as an evil youkai… Then ended up corrupted and exiled to an unknown place in the spirit world.

Non even Mizuchi knew where.

Well...

It was because of this unfortunate event that Mizuchi, as the peaceful spirit that he was and who longed for the good bond between humans and spirits, was giving now his full disposition to grant shield and help in whatever way he could to the villagers' disposal.

Even though the fear of not fulfilling their expectations invaded him every day, at least being able to receive the gratefulness of the people that noticed his efforts to what he could help with, eased him a little bit.

Not enough, but a bit.

Feeling a certain weight on him because of the thoughts regarding the conflict... Mizuchi disposed himself to rest a little, sitting on a rock near the river with a large leafy tree at his side, all placed in the open field between mountains at one of the entrances (or exits) of the village.

As he settled in, the gentle youkai gazed up at the partially clear sky along with a full moon.

This sight gave him some calm and, with that, he allowed himself to relax a little bit, closing his eyes, crossing his arms, and letting himself feel the fresh air filling his lungs. Youkai lungs. All along with the relaxing sound of the stream of the river behind him.

I wish every night could have this peace. Mizuchi thought.

The water youkai was finding so much calm right there. Forgetting himself of being on this physical plane and connecting his spirit with the organic life and 'energy' in his surroundings.

By his nature, he was becoming one with the flow of the water particularly. Altogether with the living world right there, they were finding a balance of coexisting just naturally.

After a few minutes, the more unusual thing he sensed by his hearing was small rocks rolling by an outsider force.

He was thinking of this at first as _'probably just rocks rolling in the stream'_.

But they weren't. This was different. The vibes of the source they were expelled were different.

And then he gradually heard steps, a lot of them, getting close to him. Which immediately put him on alert.

He rushed to open his eyes and stand up, almost as a jump, not knowing what to expect.

He must comply with his duty. He must protect the village. It was his thought while standing firm in a defensive posture.

The more he could see was some flames far away floating in the usual fog of the night.

In all honesty, at this, he didn't think it was entirely odd. For him, it could be multiple options.

...Some youkai manifest themselves with said aspect, and some even can use flames (he knew one in particular). And at the very least, it can be reason of humans.

He kept still in there. On guard, but as for the reasons he thought before, he expected something or someone in non-damaging purposes.

At the pace the flames got more close to him, reaching him, these dissipated and he could notice all the fuss were simply humans. Humans he knew. He could recognize some as the villagers, and so he relaxed.

Now the incognito was another. He wondered what brought them there.

"Did something happen?" The Water God asked them. As if for a neglect something or someone that passed out of his control on his guard scared them, and so then they felt the need to get out the calm of their houses and walk through the middle of the night to capture them or something.

"We're in fact into something, and it's a luck we found you to give you the resolution already." An old man replied.

"Oh! You mean, is this about your weekly reunions and such?" Some of the presents seemed to flinch at his knowledge of their activities.

Mizuchi blinked lost, wondering if he just interpreted it wrong. But he simply dropped it off.

"But this late at night? You could just rest for tonight and tell me when it's lightime."

The old man who seemed as the leader negated with his head. Kind of gloomy.

"I'm afraid there won't be a next day of lightime for you on our lands anymore."

Mizuchi tilted his head "I'm not quite getting it, would you please elaborate?" His voice kind of cracked.

The chief sighed, looking to their sides as if feeling prisoned. At least that was the vibe Mizuchi felt. Then he took a large breath, apparently to explain himself better. That, until he was interrupted by an older woman.

"Agh- c'mon, oldster. Don't make this long any longer, it's not an issue to give it many flips," she denoted while approaching him, at his side.

The boss, looking tired, nodded at the woman, expressing knowledge of her exasperation. He then took the word again and finally explained, simplifying all-important details apparently.

"It's about purgatory transition."

"Pur-?" Mizuchi knew the meaning of said word, he was just trying to understand the cause and if it really meant what he was thinking of- "What- what do you mean?" He felt kind of hopeless and panicked but did his best to keep his more serene voice as possible.

The old man looked just as hurt as him.

"It means... We take a decision of not wanting you or any other of your type in the village anymore," _wait, what?_

"...We've had enough. You've completed your duties in this realm. Sorry, Mizuchi-dono." He replied holding his walking stick in front of him, slightly downing his head. Perhaps as an apology on his part, but more probably as to stick his sight to the floor and evade eye contact with the youkai.

"What? Why? I'm not understanding..." He meant, sure, they were having some incertitude moments of tension, all because of the aisled incident of the evil-youkai. But they never showed deep or genuine uncomfortably.

Could it be that was merely acting from them?

"It's what you hear. We want you to abandon the town as sooner as possible," the man said dryly.

"..."

Mizuchi was trying to find words to say, but he stayed in complete silence with his sight down for a moment.

Then with his consciousness lost he took a glimpse up to the panorama of the people armed and with torches he didn't notice before.

Now he was understanding the seriousness of the situation and he didn't want to even imagine what would happen if he rejected their ultimatum.

He kept lost on his thoughts till he suddenly caught and processed some of their speakings, this time more like accusations, again.

"...When our kids wake up tomorrow, we'll convince them youkais and spirits are just a fantasy thing."

Mizuchi spanned-out at this and grew some courage (he didn't know from where), to ask for any reasonable explanation.

"What are you talking about? I thought we were getting along, youkais and humans, on good terms? Was that a lie?" He needed them, answers.

"...What have we done wrong?" Mizu shook part of his arms erratically, taking a step to the front in autopilot.

"Stop there!" A young man shouted, incriminatory. Mizuchi flinched and froze at the sight of the trident directed to him. "Don't heat up or you'll regret it."

The water God was being overwhelmed with many thoughts he couldn't find any answer. And more confused at the angry face of his attacker on the defensive.

He felt like stepping back, not much as if in fear the trident could possibly make him any harm. He was a youkai, and the type that earthly harm wouldn't make him much.

He felt like desisting more as in fear of making them angrier. So he obediently took distance from them, returning close to the rock he was sitting before all this chaos.

The young man seemed to calm down at this and took down the weapon.

Mizuchi felt to be in between a wall and a sword.

Now what he was supposed to do? As it seemed to be, anything he would try it would be seen as hostility to them.

Mizuchi gulped, feeling stress on thinking of his next step.

”Now, now," an unknown being spoke out of nowhere, revealing themselves in a spare seconds later.

The person of the voice's source appeared from behind the tree close to the river. With elegance.

"What the Water God has done bad to you?" A beautiful young woman of white hair, porcelain skin, and mesmerizing pinkish eyes walked to stay in between the people and the youkai. Standing firm on her feet in front of Mizuchi.

_'...What are you-?'_

The water youkai looked speechless and puzzled at her, unsure of what to do next.

"Panicking and turning so drastic without a reasonable explanation is worthless." The pretty woman started fanning herself.

Fanning on a nothing-hot night.

"Kyu-" he bit his tongue, correcting himself to the villagers immediately "...Lady, You shouldn't-"

"You're no one to talk! Aren't you an evil spirit as well? Show your true self, witch!" A man shouted out of the blue.

Mizuchi looked up startled. The woman just took a peek with one eye with half his face behind the fan.

"T-That's right!" a woman joined the accusation, taking the word. "All villagers agree you're a familiar face existing through decades, centuries! It keeps repeating through generations! That's abnormal, so... So you may be a demon as well!"

Mizuchi flinched, knowing part of it was true. Absolutely not the part of being a demon but at least the fact that this woman here was a youkai presenting themselves in different human forms (not changing much his facial appearance, he had to admit), making company to humans for so many years that he can't even remember the count.

"Evil spirit? Demon?" She chuckled cynically. "Isn't something as descendants exist?" Her scornful tone in her voice could be felt huge in the air.

"Even if you related yourself with people who didn't have the faculties to conceive or left descendants at all?"

The woman accused kept the poker face at this.

"I could be a descendant of any other outsider of your village, you know? Can be a particular tribe or a neighboring town but your limited minds just concluded to that." She waved a hand gesturing disappointment.

Mizu could feel how the villagers flinched in irritation and how the tension built-up.

" _Maa, maa_. Please! Everyone. It's not time to fight or jump to conclusions. We can be civilized here, right?" The white-haired lady looked back to him with sharp eyes.

"...I don't want anyone to get hurt," Mizuchi said, side-eying to her in particular. "I just want us to find a peaceful solution."

And so an age-middle man walked and stood straight in the front-center not wasting any time to let his statements out.

"Then, if you want a peaceful resolution. Disappear from this village and never came back!"

"Yeah," came a voice backing him, immediately.

"That's the only peaceful way!" came another.

And then another and another.

Mizuchi couldn't recognize what they whispered or shouted anymore, he only heard them as a buzz.

And then on his lost blurred sight suddenly he could perceive a hand raising in the air. Then a silence.

It was from the old-man chief.

"I hope this was enough to make you understand our last wish," he said with what the Water God could perceive as a guilty tone.

"That's our last demand. No negotiations, Mizuchi-dono." He looked up to him. "And please make sure it's for all of you."

It was all so suffocating. Non-mentioning the impotent feeling weighing on his chest.

Then suddenly he felt a hand placed on his arm.

He looked over the source. It was his woman companion of course.

She looked just as conflicted as him. But then swung her head in negation as if there was nothing much to do and to just move on (it was what he understood at least, as if what they had was some form of telepathy).

But, even though, he had to be clear with them on something.

"I understand." He accepted with sorrow. "But just for your consideration, I'm afraid I'm not any kind of leader for them all, you know?… Even if I help you to reach everyone, for my faculties, it may take a few days." Mizuchi explained, to their requisite of immediacy.

The old-man sighed, scratching his head with his stick. Looking troubled.

"If you don't. I'm afraid to inform you we have an exorcist by our side, ready to dispose of them as he wants."

Mizu froze in his place. But then the woman of the fan, knowing very well the meaning behind exorcists for them as spirits, approached them with flame on her eyes; glowing a pink-reddish in the darkness.

"Are you kidding us?!" She let her claws and long fangs grow being noticeable, making everyone fright in horror.

But she was furious. Frustrated.

"After all we've done for you?" A flaming aura was starting to glow behind and over her while she approached them by impulsiveness, accusing them.

An unusual heat was already covering the place.

And either way, she continued.

" _Nee_ , You're better than this. An exorcist is not-" She froze.

Suddenly she saw red.  
Felt red.

And a taste of iron on her tongue was all she recognized more clearly.

Another villager shouted in shock. Others gasped.

Mizuchi immediately urged to look in her direction in full confusion and, getting to see the whole scenario, he became shocked as well looking horrified at the trident that was stabbing through the woman's ripped clothes to her abdomen. Seeing blood emerging and dripping already from the wound.

His chest froze like ice. He couldn't breathe. And suddenly everything played in slow motion to his eyes.

The wounded woman looked as shocked as everyone. Wearing a dead stare.

Somehow she still could stand up, though barely, her knees were getting weak.

When she coughed blood was the time that, apparently, everyone's clock came back to normal.

"KYUUBI!" The Water God screamed almost at the top of his lungs, rushing to assist her.

The attacker apparently was processing what he had done in shock as well. But it was Mizuchi's instinctively impulsive rage that provoked the water of the river to rise in mass and hit against them (altogether a curious strong wind forming like a storm) which frightened him to death to step back, just as everyone. Running off in a full collective panic.

All in a mix of chaos, shoutings, and some surviving flames here and there.

The trident was also pulled off on said disarray, sounding like a deaf thud onto the floor while being seen washed in blood.

"Kyuubi-, hold on!" Mizuchi held the woman with him while kneeling down, mildly lying her in the grass.

The water youkai noticed her body was just reacting as a human one, and the wound kept getting worse.

He took his tunic off and did a hurry arrangement to compress the wound the most he could.

It hurt him to think he learned this from the same humans that did the harm in the first place.

He hoped it could help to cede the bleeding at least to a minimum.

"Kyuubi. Return now to your youkai form... Now!" He ordered, begged.

He heard nothing and saw no answer.

"Kyuubi, do you hear me?" He slightly shook her... Him. Getting nervous.

The woman in question looked up to him weakly, defeated. Then she returned to close her eyes, focusing on something.

Her body started glowing into a reddish halo for a few seconds, a few flame sparkles and petals popped out as well, floating. But all dissipated off and out almost immediately.

"I-I can't." She said frowning. Pained.

Mizuchi's stomach (if he even had one) revolved at this.

"He hasn't lived that long enough as youkai to be able to do it with such harm and in a stressful situation like this." Someone spoke up from behind while placing a hand on Mizuchi's shoulder.

The Water God turned around in alarm but calmed almost immediately he saw the person, well youkai, behind.

"K-Karasu-"

“That silly human. If he wouldn’t take it off…” He murmured with a hand under his chin, looking carefully. "If he stays here like this, I'm afraid…"

"No," Mizu interrupted, stopping him from talking anymore.

He wasn't even sure of his own words next, but at least it was what he wanted.

"No. This won't stay like this," Mizuchi took and carried Kyuubi in his arms with the more delicacy he could, hoping to not cause him more pain. "I know I can- no, I believe I can help him. I have to try at least, into the spirit realm."

"..." Karasu looked like thinking about something. Then he simply pronounced an "I'm sure you'll find the way".

He stepped in front of them. "And of course I'm going to give you my grain of sand to help," he ripped the emptiness of the space with a hand, forming what looked like a portal gate to the place where they belong originally.

Mizuchi was unaware of such ability of him.

"Shall we go?"

* * *

Thanks to Karasu's help, Mizuchi and Kyuubi were able to reach the youkai realm faster by the shortcut.

As soon as they arrived, Mizuchi made his way deep into the spirit realm in a rush. Going straight to a place considered by other youkais as his territory. Into a lake fed with a train of cascades between hilltops that extended beyond.

Into said place, Mizuchi stepped in the lake with a weak Kyuubi in his arms.

"You'll be okay..." He felt the need to tell the youkai still in human form.

The only red liquid that accompanied them was replaced for simply water, which seemed to dissipate most of the blood out of them.

Mizuchi held Kyuubi's body, except for his head, fully in the water. Then closing his eyes, he focused on something.

Suddenly, the water started glowing on a saturated turquoise in all the area.

Karasu, who was observing from out of the water (though just arriving at the place by appearing from behind a bush), looked delighted for the said event as well.

He reached a hand curious to touch at the floating white little beings that appeared out of nowhere flying around. They looked more like glows, but with wings.

In contrast with the night darkness of the background. The sight was ethereal.

If this was a thing of Mizuchi, this was the first time he ever saw him doing it. Of all the centuries they've known each other.

* * *

The water seemed to hug into the harmed youkai, shielding him. Healing him.

Minutes became a hell of eternity but, in a first instance, Kyuubi's wound stopped bleeding. At least.

Kyuubi fell into an unconscious state right after that, in which Mizuchi kept holding him there for what became hours.

Hours in which Mizuchi managed and drained the reserves he could get from the accumulated organic corporeal and energy from the lake, the cascade, the surroundings, every corner he could reach from the closest perimeter and far away on this spiritual realm.

All to offer it to Kyuubi and so, by absorbing these for his own channeling, it achieved to bring him back to his youkai form.

Once he converted, coming back to his youkai form, Mizuchi could finally breathe again.

Then the water glowed-out, coming back to his usual form. And with this Mizuchi noticed now it was close to sunrise.

He briefly looked to the sky, then to Kyuubi in his arms. Relieved.

"Welcome back bud," Mizuchi whispered tiredly while reaching his forehead moving a lock of hair to the side, then just caressing his face from up to down with two-fingers.

Kyuubi would probably keep sleeping for some hours more. And so, to assure his curative methods kept into him, he carefully placed him to keep resting in the water, sheltering his body on a shore that looked more like a pond. Undisturbed of any stream that could drag him.

"Good job!" he heard Karasu getting close to his side when securing Kyuubi on the shore.

Mizuchi felt drained but, either way, looked up to reply to him.

"You still here?"

"Oh?" He smirked, "Don't worry. I didn't watch-in all night to whatever you both were having." Mizuchi felt lost. But Karasu continued his story.

"I went off for a while to bring in the remaining youkais for you. And I have some help too. So now rest reassure."

"You did?!" Mizuchi startled, feeling deeply grateful. "I have no words to thank you". He really felt moved.

He believed in his word that everyone is safe. And what a relief.

"Yeah... I went and left, went and left. You know, just checking neither of you both died."

Mizuchi gave a twisted chuckle.

"I can't die," he replied for him.

"Fair point. But nothing assured me of your safety neither." He said genuinely.

"Alright," Mizuchi responded, understanding he cared. At his way.

"Thank you."

" _Douitashimashite~_ " the Karasu said, extending his black fan. "You both should rest for now," he started walking away, stopping on his track to speak to Mizuchi a last time "...I'll ask you about your curative methods I didn't know you have on another occasion." Then he smiled. Kinda creepy though.

Mizu groaned.

"Sweet dreams~" he waved with a hand and retired. And so Mizuchi lost him in his sight in a spare of seconds.

Time in which his eyelids and body also gave up, laying himself on some flat rocks to rest.

* * *

* * *

Mizuchi calculated it to be already sunset when his eyes lazily opened, woken up by the sound of an unusual movement in the water. Not of a splash but more of when something of great volume partly gets out of it.

Then with flashbacks of last night, it clicked on his mind.

'Kyuubi!' He rushed to sit and check the shore.

Fortunately for him, he was right and, more close to him than where he let him a few hours ago, was the Kyuubi no Kitsune sitting in silence. Like moribund.

"K-Kyuubi… Are you alright?" He reached him and kneeled to his side. Holding his back with one arm.

"Mizu…?" Kyuubi looked up to the worried face of the water God, immediately recovering back flashbacks of the incident the previous night with the same youkai wearing the same worried face when seeing him almost dying before.

Then he looked at his surroundings, then down on his abdomen, placing a hand on part of the wound that was now healed. Perhaps even non existed.

He was safe.

He didn't need further explanations to know obviously it was all thanks to his savior right here.

Kyuubi felt flattered. And so he let himself relax on Mizu's arm and body that were holding him firmly.

"Ahh… You really are the love of my life, you know?" He gave him a flirty smile, closing his eyes to lay his head on his chest.

Mizu simply stared, sighing.

He didn't understand any of those terms he knew Kyuubi learned from humans.

"What nonsense are you telling me now?" He asked insensitively, incoherently with the hand that was softly swifting a stray of hair off his cheek.

Kyuubi chuckled, looking back to where his injury was supposed to be. Then to his companion.

"Mizu… You saved me," he looked straight into his eyes.

"You saved me first," he replied back. Referring to Kyuubi backing him up last night.

Even under his condition of immortal youkai, who knows how things would have turned out against Mizuchi last night. Maybe even the exorcist would join them later and they would use that card on their hands to cause him any harm, from simple manipulation to a curse, who knows.

Remembering the fury and fright he saw in their eyes... It didn't sound exaggerated, contrary, it seemed very possible to happen.

Mizuchi got goosebumps, he didn't even want to imagine.

Although he couldn't compare that to the harm Kyuubi received.

"Kyuubi," he drew his attention. "You scared the hell out of me back then… You shouldn't had to intercede. You even risked your life!" he softly lifted his face to look up at him.

"You didn't deserve that. After everything you've done for them," he looked to the side, also hurt. It was a shared sentiment.

"You didn't too."

"But you're another story…"

There was again, the weight in the 'Water God' title. Plus the, he knew, self-conflict of Kyuubi to feel less deserved to spend a life as and with the youkais (he personally still didn't know why he thought like this, till today).

It wasn't of nothing that Kyuubi lived more as and with humans than the youkais.

"Kyuubi," he irrupted dryly. The white-haired flinched, looking up. "You're worthy as any outstanding youkai existing to be here, to keep existing, living. Don't make me repeat it."

Aside from the warm and overwhelming feeling his words penetrated on his heart. Kyuubi had to admit- he got distracted thinking Mizu looked hot this serious.

"You really are the love of my life," he insisted, determined. Shattering all previous tension and sentimental build-up.

" _Da ka ra-_ " Mizuchi scratched the back of his head.

"-I still don't quite understand what you mean but," He took a second to think what he understood of this 'love' thing humans called "...If it means to be important for you... I'm happy." He smiled. "It's no news you're also important to me," he added.

Kyuubi felt giggly at this. Like, feeling butterflies inside.

"Yeah. I noticed, with what you did for me today." Kyuubi stood on his knees, throwing himself into Mizu to wrap him by the shoulders in a hug. Though probably for Mizuchi it would be an odd action.

To his surprise, he was happy to perceive him imitating the method, wrapping his arms on his back.

Kyuubi smiled at this.

And with this, they held each other for some long time. Honestly, until Kyuubi desisted from keeping his own desire of being held by him.

He let go of him with delicacy, sitting and placing his hands on Mizu's shoulders. Looking at to him.

"Now it's up for us, here in our world I guess." The white-haired broke the silence.

Mizu made a sad face to this. Facing down.

"Hey, look at me-" Kyuubi held his cheek to guide him to look him face to face. "We'll be okay. We have each other." He reassured him, backed-up with Mizu's own words to him before.

"...We must be firm and strong to take care of all the youkais that will return here, and the ones that will come in the future. To keep them safe and also warn them of the human realm," Kyuubi was now holding one hand of Mizu on both his.

It felt warm, calmy. Mizu thought. And just by this soothing feeling he knew there was reason in his words to trust.

"Alright," Mizuchi nodded. "It'll be fine".

Kyuubi smiled at this.

”...” Mizuchi stared blankly for a while searching for his next words.

But, instead, his next move was to stand up carrying Kyuubi in his arms. The last gave a small surprise yelp to this.

“Mizu-?!” Wait- did he really don't know he was all able to walk on his own? Well. Better to follow the injured 'acting' and enjoy this.

"C'mon. I'll carry you to your home to rest," Mizuchi reported.

"Our home," Kyuubi corrected him. Mizu looked at him puzzled.

"...You really don't have a place itself as a home, don't you? I know very well," he continued. "You're welcome to call it your home too at any time." Then Kyuubi looked thoughtful. "Although it's just a building of an isolated old abandoned sanctuary I appropriated."

Old sanctuary or anything, it was still a home.

Mizuchi chuckled gratefully at his offer.

"I'll think about it," he replied sheepishly.

Kyuubi pouted, stretching his hands up to lace them back to his neck.

"Just say yes and let's have our married life together already!" He whined funny.

"Seriously, I don't get any of those things you say." Mizuchi laughed, starting walking off away from the lake.

...All while Kyuubi kept complaining of him not getting his flirting efforts to win him over.

**Author's Note:**

> <3


End file.
